The 49ers are where the Raiders were three years ago – drastically undermanned, in the midst of unrelenting losing, and with Fort Knox-like money under the salary cap. Obviously, the 10-2 Raiders have made the right moves in hiring coach Jack Del Rio, drafting players like Derek Carr and Amari Cooper, and acquiring players like …

The Raiders have hired Steve Hoffman as special teams coordinator, the same position he held with the Chiefs the past three years.
The team announced the move Friday.
Hoffman joins the staff of new head coach Dennis Allen after 22 seasons as an NFL ass… …

The National Football League’s $200 million contribution all but ensures that the 49ers will go forward with their plan for a new stadium in Santa Clara. Barring a major setback – such as construction delays, or a legal ruling against changes from the … …

As a former lawyer and president of the 49ers, Carmen Policy offered an eloquent and persuasive case this week outlining why Eddie DeBartolo Jr. should be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame today.
Interestingly, in supporting the candidacy of the… …

The 49ers now have the final $200 million needed to leave San Francisco, their home of 66 years, for a new, long-awaited stadium in Santa Clara.
The National Football League announced Thursday it would give the team $200 million in loans and straight p… …

It’s amazing what a difference $200 million can make. On Thursday, the 49ers received that amount in stadium support from the NFL, and all of a sudden, my exasperating 1 1/2-hour Muni ride to their last playoff game seems like a pleasure cruise.
The … …

His devotion to the 49ers netted quite a haul: five Super Bowl trophies, 13 division titles and 16 playoff appearances in his final 18 years at the helm. That’s not a bad Hall-of-Fame platform on which to stand. And it might earn DeBartolo induction into Canton, particularly in a year in which there are no slam-dunk inductees among the 15 modern-day finalists. …

On any given Sunday, you never know who will win an NFL game.
But if you’ve been to the ‘Stick or many other stadiums this year, you know one thing: Fans’ actions toward the opposing team’s fans will go beyond just emotional or angry to sometimes threa… …

Asked this week what made Eddie DeBartolo Jr. worthy of induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, former 49ers president Carmen Policy didn’t begin by talking about the former Niners owner. He started by discussing Bill Walsh. …

I’ve heard many fans ask this season – what, exactly, is Smith coming back from? In other words, his story doesn’t seem to fit into the narrative arc of a comeback player of the year: success, failure/adversity, success. …

Matt Gonzalez, the former San Francisco Board of Supervisors president and now chief attorney in the public defender’s office, was in court the other day – but not to represent an indigent defendant.
Public Defender Jeff Adachi is allowing Gonzalez, hi… …

Indianapolis —
Patriots defensive back Julian Edelman, a Woodside High and College of San Mateo alum, has been the object of New York Giants receivers’ fancy this week leading up to the Super Bowl.
Can you blame them?
“Any time you look at a defense … …

Aaron Rodgers
The Packers’ quarterback and Cal alum wasn’t happy with his team’s performance. No, not in that 37-20 season-ending loss to the Giants – in the 59-41 Pro Bowl loss. On his radio show Tuesday on ESPN Milwaukee, Rodgers called out his NFC … …

Of the 10 signed to future deals, four played for coach Jim Harbaugh in college. Beeler, Hall and Reuland played for Harbaugh at Stanford. Matthews played for Harbaugh at the University of San Diego. …

The California Constitution says all political power “is inherent in the people,” laying the foundation for the voters’ near-absolute right to make or unmake laws at the ballot box. But that right might not apply to opponents of an $850 million city lo… …

Now we know why Jim Harbaugh made all those nautical references at the end of the 49ers‘ season. He kept up the theme even after the loss to the Giants in the rain. The head coach was prepping for his rounds at the often soggy AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am tournament the week after the Super Bowl.

On the first day of their offseason, 49ers cornerback Tarell Brown and safety Donte Whitner were already looking ahead to next season.
Less than 24 hours removed from playing, they were pitching. Both players were lobbying for their partners in the sec… …

Peyton Manning in red and gold?
It’s not as crazy as it sounds. The talk shows have been buzzing for weeks, if not months, saying the longtime Indianapolis Colts star is looking for a new helmet next season. And the future Hall of Famer has done little… …

Rookie defensive end Aldon Smith of the 49ers was arrested and booked into jail on DUI charges Saturday morning in Miami.
According to various reports, Smith, 22, was booked into jail at 9:32 a.m. EST and released on $1,000 bond.
The 49ers released a s… …

John Fox and Jack Del Rio are together again.
The Broncos announced Friday that they had agreed to terms with Del Rio to become the club’s new defensive coordinator. Del Rio was Fox’s first defensive coordinator in Carolina in 2002 before leaving after… …